New podcast research offers deeper insight into Australian podcast audiences

Friday 30 September, 2016

Photo by Kim Napier at Podcast Conference

New research released today at the OzPod 2016 podcasting conference offers new insight into the listening habits of Australian podcasters.

The research indicates a high level of engagement with podcasting, with an average of 5.5 podcasts per week per respondent.

More than 1100 respondents completed the ABC Audience Insight Survey on the ABC Yourspace platform in August 2016. They were surveyed about the scope and variety of their listening habits, including ABC and non-ABC podcasts.

Research highlights include that:

On average, podcast audiences listen to an average of 5.5 podcasts per week. Nearly 1 in 5 (19%) listen up to 11 podcasts per week.

News, Current Affairs & Politics is the genre of podcasts most widely listened to (59%).

An average of 80% of podcast audiences listen the whole way through their chosen podcasts.

Evening is the most common time to listen to podcasts with 47% of podcasters, who listened in the last week, listening in the evening (M-F). 44% listened in the afternoons (weekends).

Smartphone is the preferred device to listen to podcasts for 1 in 2 respondents; rising to 70% among 14-34s.

The majority of respondents have been listening to podcasts for more than 3 years.

Home is the place where podcasting happens most, with 76% of respondents listening there within the past month.

Trialling new podcasts occurs regularly with 1 in 3 listening to a new podcast in the past week.

“Podcast audiences are telling us they’re listening more and they’re listening longer,” said Linda Bracken, ABC Radio’s Head of Content & Digital.

“And it’s great to see the level of discovery that is happening, with 1 in 3 respondents trying new podcasts each week. We know that better content, more awareness and easier access are the factors driving the growth in listening. This kind of podcast insight is very difficult to access in Australia so we’re pleased to have it; one of the issues for discussion at OzPod 2016 will be accurate and timely metrics for the benefit of the entire podcast industry.”

Further results from the ABC Audience Insights survey can be found at OzPod2016.

The OzPod conference will bring a compelling range of Australian podcasters, broadcasters and industry commentators to a free, day-long celebration of the podcast, exploring topics such as audience acquisition and retention, approaches to measurement, new technologies, the rise of the podcast in traditional media, revenue opportunities and the art of storytelling.

WNYC’s Manoush Zomorodi, host of the acclaimed Note to Self podcast, will give the keynote address.

High-profile Australian podcasters such as Dan Box from Bowraville,Meshel Laurie from The Nitty Gritty Committee and Alicia Sometimes from Outer Sanctum will line up with analysts such as radio futurologist James Cridland, Whooshkaa’s Rob Loewenthal, Southern Cross Austereo’s Jaime Chaux, and Holly Wainwright and Monique Bowley from the Mamamia Women’s Network. OzPod will also feature ABC podcasters such as Richard Fidler, Patricia Karvelas and triple j’s Kyran Wheatley.

Our reporter is at the conference and will provide more reports from OzPod2016 in coming days.